Recommended TA's for MultiStop Thailand Prices????

Leanne1812

Suvarnabhumi, at least that's what my autocorrect says

Agree that you should just book independently.

Get your main flights sorted then research on tripadvisor where you'd like to go and take it from there. Travel around asia is so simple and mostly cheap.

I never book a hotel without checking reviews. For me I check its a decent location, I always look for breakfast included and value for money. Tripadvisor allows you to see hotel deals too. If your not a familiar with the site do try as its a fantastic tool. I use the forums lots too, either to ask questions or just browse around.

Sign up to quidco and save around 10% on some hotel sites.

Leanne1812

I've spend a lot of time checking both TA and doing it myself. It has never been cheaper to book through an agent in my experience.

It may look like a special offer and they may say they get special deals with certain hotels but when I check them out myself they are always cheaper.

Mardrew

Totally agree with the above posts - book it yourself - and also Doshwaster's suggestion of how to split your 2.5 weeks.


We were first-timers to Thailand last July. We did the following:


4 nights in Bangkok
Air Asia flight to Chiang Mai
4 nights in Chiang Mai
Local bus to Chiang Rai
2 nights in Chiang Rai
Air Asia flight back to Bangkok airport and then had a driver to take us down to Hua Hin
5 nights in Hua Hin for some rest and relaxation
Driver to take us back to Bangkok
Final night in Bangkok before flying home.


We also hired guides - 1 day in Bangkok; 2 days in Chiang Mai and 1.5 days in Chiang Rai. For us, it was money well spent as we saw and learnt so much with them.

fifeken

Doshwaster wrote: »

I have - but it's one of those Thai tongue twisters that I've never been able to master.

Just call it the new airport and Don Muang the old. Easy.

PompeyPete

Pronounce ท่าอากาศยานสุวรรณภูมิ in Thai!:eek:

Once I've got to a country like Thailand the last thing I want to do is miss anything between destinations, and I find flying from A to B to C completely boring and wastes a lot of time.

Often flying isn't much quicker with all the travelling to and from the airports, the hanging around and even cancellations and delays.

I don't particularly like buses or long taxi rides either, and wouldn't in a million years contemplate travelling overnight by road.

Give me the Thai trains over any other means of transport. Slow, cheap, mixing with the locals something going on all the time.

Take overnight sleepers if need be, they're cheap, clean, and save on a nights accommodation...

http://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm

Some examples of fares are...

Bangkok to Aranyapraphet (Cambodian Border) - 48 bahts (£1) for a 5 hour trip.
Bangkok to Kanchanaburi (WWII, Bridge over the River Kwai, Death Railway, Hellfire Pass) - 100 bahts (£2), for a 3 hour trip.
Bangkok to Ayutthya (Old Capital) - 15 bahts (30p), 2 hours

In 2.5 weeks I wouldn't push it too much. Decide on what your interests are, don't book in advance [except during the Peak months, December and January, and sleeper trains.

Thailand isn't about ticking boxes so linger at leisure and soak in the atmosphere and experience.

Doshwaster

Mardrew wrote: »

We were first-timers to Thailand last July. We did the following:


4 nights in Bangkok
Air Asia flight to Chiang Mai
4 nights in Chiang Mai
Local bus to Chiang Rai
2 nights in Chiang Rai
Air Asia flight back to Bangkok airport and then had a driver to take us down to Hua Hin
5 nights in Hua Hin for some rest and relaxation
Driver to take us back to Bangkok
Final night in Bangkok before flying home.


We also hired guides - 1 day in Bangkok; 2 days in Chiang Mai and 1.5 days in Chiang Rai. For us, it was money well spent as we saw and learnt so much with them.

That looks a very well balanced trip - a good mix of city life, the north country and fun on the beach. I know some people don't like Chiang Mai but I love the place.

Private drivers can be a good way of doing longer trips. You get to see more of the countryside and you are in control of stops. I'd just avoid the shared minbuses where you are stuck in a vehicle with strangers for hours on end.

Jay_C

Guys some great responses and much appreciated.

I do not have a problem booking it all seperately I just wanted to know if it was better to do it from here online or just have the hotels in mind, sort transfers myself there and go book it once there?

In terms of travel destinations initially was looking at koh samui and phangan but now have thought of something along following

Phuket > Phi Phi> Krabi> Bangkok

Thought Bangkok on way back may be better just in case do shopping etc so 2/3 nights there on way back. Phuket have no plans to stay there just thought would go straight to Phi Phi or Koh Lanta perhaps as have heard Phuket is not worth going to.

Any thoughts much appreciated, also if anyone can hazard to guess what could realistically be looking at for flights and accomodation (3/4 *) for 2.5 weeks as a total price?

Doshwaster

For a longer trip I'd just follow my nose and book things a few days in advance as I travel around but for 2-3 weeks I prefer to have most, if not everything, organised in advance. However, do leave day trips until you get there as you always get a better deals when you negotiate in person and take account of the weather.

In 2.5 you could do good trips to Samui/Phangan or Phuket/Phi Phi/Krabi but probably not both. I'd also look at going inland for some of the trip rather than spending it all on the islands. In terms of the weather there won't be much between the coasts in March: http://www.travelfish.org/weather/thailand/march

Personally, I love Samui. It's is getting overdeveloped in areas (Chaeweng) but it is still not as busy or as expensive as Phuket. The main problem with the island is that flights there can be expensive as Bangkok Airways own the airport and restrict other airlines. The alternatives are bus/train or fly to Surat Thani then take a ferry.

For prices, £40 will get you a decent hotel in a central area of Bangkok, a little less for somewhere more basic and a little more for a very good 4*. Outside of Bangkok, you can get excellent value rooms for around £20-30 a night - but you can equally pay £5 or £200 for a basic room or luxurious suite respectively.

Some sites:
http://www.asiarooms.com/
http://www.sawadee.com/
http://www.asiawebdirect.com/

It really depends what you are looking for - partying, shopping, culture, food, adventure, nature or relaxation - or a mixture. Have fun planning but I'd get the flight to/from Bangkok booked ASAP as time is ticking.

Jay_C

Doshwaster wrote: »

For a longer trip I'd just follow my nose and book things a few days in advance as I travel around but for 2-3 weeks I prefer to have most, if not everything, organised in advance. However, do leave day trips until you get there as you always get a better deals when you negotiate in person and take account of the weather.

In 2.5 you could do good trips to Samui/Phangan or Phuket/Phi Phi/Krabi but probably not both. I'd also look at going inland for some of the trip rather than spending it all on the islands. In terms of the weather there won't be much between the coasts in March: http://www.travelfish.org/weather/thailand/march

Personally, I love Samui. It's is getting overdeveloped in areas (Chaeweng) but it is still not as busy or as expensive as Phuket. The main problem with the island is that flights there can be expensive as Bangkok Airways own the airport and restrict other airlines. The alternatives are bus/train or fly to Surat Thani then take a ferry.

For prices, £40 will get you a decent hotel in a central area of Bangkok, a little less for somewhere more basic and a little more for a very good 4*. Outside of Bangkok, you can get excellent value rooms for around £20-30 a night - but you can equally pay £5 or £200 for a basic room or luxurious suite respectively.

Some sites:
http://www.asiarooms.com/
http://www.sawadee.com/
http://www.asiawebdirect.com/

It really depends what you are looking for - partying, shopping, culture, food, adventure, nature or relaxation - or a mixture. Have fun planning but I'd get the flight to/from Bangkok booked ASAP as time is ticking.

Great response and thanks for taking time to reply. I am looking for mixture of activities, shopping and relaxing not bothered about partying.

Would you say if going down towards phuket/krabi way that best to do bangkok when arrive or do it all on way back? I was thinkin way back for shopping purposes but not sure if better to just do 2 nights there and 1 night on way back

Doshwaster

Jay_C wrote: »

Would you say if going down towards phuket/krabi way that best to do bangkok when arrive or do it all on way back? I was thinkin way back for shopping purposes but not sure if better to just do 2 nights there and 1 night on way back

I always do 2-3 nights in Bangkok at the start of the trip and then head straight home at the end but you could do it either way. Or bookend your trip and do both. It's just a matter of preference. If you have an early morning flight back to the UK then you may need to do a final night in Bangkok anyway.

I'm not a shopper at all but I suppose if you do want to go crazy in the malls then it would be better to do that at the end so you aren't carrying everything around Thailand with you.